This application claims the priority of German patent document 100 20 179.2, filed Apr. 25 2000, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a control unit for a paragliding system for a manned paragliding flight and to an associated mission planning station.
For certain military operations it is necessary for paragliding jumpers to be able to glide reliably toward and reach a predetermined target point. A known navigational aid for paragliding jumpers indicates, on the basis of a predetermined drop-off point from the airplane and a predetermined landing point, a straight flight path or a flight path composed of straight sections. The paragliding jumper carries a display device containing a computer into which the topographical data and the straight flight path can be input before the mission. The computer displays this data, for example, in the form of a terrain with a straight flight path that is marked on this background. In addition, the pilot is equipped with a GPS navigational system that establishes the current actual position of the paraglider. This current actual position is also processed by the computer and displayed on the two-dimensional representation of the terrain. The paragliding jumper directs the paraglider using the display of a desired straight flight path and a desired landing point in conjunction with the current actual position.
A disadvantage of the state of the art is that the jumper may be unable to reach the desired landing point if the landing point is at an unfavorable location in relation to the drop-off point, and if a disturbance variable not previously anticipated occurs.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a control unit for a paragliding system that is suitable, from an instrument-technical aspect, for paragliding missions, and that will take the paragliding jumper as reliably as possible to a desired landing point.
This and other objects and advantages are achieved by the paragliding control system according to the invention, which includes a flight guidance system for establishing preset control values based on actual position, and a flight program that can be input from a mission planning station. The flight guidance system also includes a display that indicates the current preset control values.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.